Although naturally left-footed, he has the ability to kick with both feet and has a good aerial game, despite a small frame. He played professionally for Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in his homeland, amongst others – being brought up in the former's youth ranks – appearing abroad for Liverpool, with which he won one Champions League amongst other major titles.

Subsequently, García played another year in the second level, being instrumental in CD Tenerife's promotion by scoring 16 league goals under the guidance of manager Rafael Benítez. Loaned for the fourth time by Barcelona, he returned to Valladolid for 2001–02, netting seven top division goals in 25 contests, including two in a 5–1 success at Tenerife.

In the 2002–03 season, García was sold to Atlético Madrid for €3.6 million but, after a highly successful individual campaign (nine league goals), Barcelona activated a clause which allowed the player's return for an additional €1.4 million.[2]

García was signed by former Tenerife coach Benítez for Liverpool on 20 August 2004, on a five-year contract for a fee of £6 million. He was the fourth Spaniard signed by the club that summer[3] and, nine days after arriving, he made his Premier League debut in a 0–1 away loss away to Bolton Wanderers, where he had an apparently legitimate goal ruled out for offside;[4] his first goal with his new club came against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on 11 September, concluding a 3–0 win.[5] and he went on to net seven more league goals that season, including the headed winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton on 20 March 2005.[6]

On 10 January 2007, following the 3–6 loss to Arsenal in the League Cup which was his final game for Liverpool, it was confirmed by the club that García had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the game; he would be out for at least six months.[10]

His positive relationship with club fans was in great measure due to the fact of his decisive goals against Chelsea. It was further underlined by the song frequently sung in his honour, to the tune of "You Are My Sunshine": "Luis García, he drinks Sangria/he came from Barça to bring us joy!/He's five-foot seven, he's football heaven/So please don't take our Luis away!" In the 2013 poll of the 100 Players Who Shook the Kop, García ranked 34th.[11] All in all he scored 30 goals in 121 appearances for Liverpool, with ten coming in the Champions League, five in the knockout stages of the 2005 triumph.

In early July 2007, García signed with former team Atlético Madrid for around £4 million, with his transfer being negotiated between the two clubs around the same time that they were arranging a deal for Fernando Torres in the opposite direction. Nonetheless, these deals were conducted separately.[12]

On 11 August 2009, it was confirmed García had reached an agreement with Racing de Santander.[13]His season was quite unassuming, as he appeared in only 15 league matches without scoring and the Cantabrian side narrowly avoided relegation.

On 28 August 2010, García signed a one-year contract with Greek team Panathinaikos FC.[14] On 4 September he flew back to Anfield to take part in Carragher's testimonial match, scoring a goal in the second minute; ten days later, he returned to the Camp Nou, playing the last 20 minutes in a 1–5 loss for the Champions League group stage.

On 14 January 2014, aged 35, García announced his retirement from football. He made the announcement on his official website, saying, "Today I've decided to retire as a professional footballer, thanks for the interest from the teams that spoke with me in recent weeks, but I think the time has come to end this important chapter in my life and move to the next page."[17]

García came out of retirement in July 2014, joining newly formed Indian Super League franchise Atlético de Kolkata as their Marquee player ahead of the league's inaugural season, the first of such players to join the league.[18] He started in the league's opening match, as his new team won 3–0 at home against Mumbai City FC;[19] on 21 November he had a wrongly disallowed goal in an eventual 1–2 loss at Kerala Blasters[20] but, despite finishing the regular season in third, Kolkata won the league final against the same opponent in Mumbai, although he was an unused substitute.[21] He also won the league's Manyavar Most Exciting Player award.[22]

García was then chosen as part of the nation's squad-of-23 for the finals in Germany. He started in wins against Ukraine and Tunisia, and was used as a substitute in the round-of-16 1–3 loss to France.